Facial mask



June 16, 1964 H. E. BERLIND FACIAL MASK Filed April 13, 1962 INVENTOR. fiQJAR/ET f. 554% //V&

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United States Patent 3,137,066 FAClAL MASK Harriet E. Berlind, 714 Ardsley Road, Scarsdale, N.Y. Filed Apr. 13, 1962, Ser. No. 187,245 2 Claims. (Cl. 2-9) This invention relates to facial masks. More particularly, this invention relates to facial masks which can be conveniently carried on the person and which can be quickly and readily attached to the head or face of the wearer and also quickly and readily removed therefrom.

Facial masks to protect the eyes, nose and/or mouth from irritants are widely used by workers in industry. For the most part, however, these facial masks are cumbersome, difficult to adjust to the face of the wearer, awkward to wear and frequently diflicult to take on and off quickly. Also, these facial masks are frequently expensive and require special containers and handling techniques.

A relatively inexpensive, simple and satisfactory facial mask suitable for wearing when carrying out ordinary routine household or industrial tasks is desirable. For example, it is desirable to provide a facial mask which can be conveniently carried around on the person so that when household or gardening tasks are carried out, involving the spraying of irritants, such as paint sprays, chemical sprays and the like, a person can quickly and conveniently don a facial mask to protect the eyes, nose and/or mouth against these irritants. Also, hair sprays and the like and other beauty aids usually contain chemicals which are irritating to the eyes and/ or nose. The facial mask of this invention would serve to protect the wearer against such chemicals.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a simple, inexpensive facial mask.

Another object of this invention is to provide a facial mask which can readily be put on and taken off from the face of the wearer.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a facial mask which can be conveniently carried on the person, does not occupy much volume or bulk, is flexible, and when in use, can be folded flat or rolled into a relatively small tube or package.

How these and other objects of this invention are achieved will become apparent in the light of the accompanying disclosure made with reference to the drawings wherein: 7

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a facial mask in accordance with this invention and wherein FIG. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of another facial mask prepared in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2; and 7 FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate how the facial mask is worn.

In accordance with this invention a facial mask is constructed by taking a flat, substantially rectangular piece of flexible plastic material and folding it in half upon itself, preferably along its long dimension. The folded material is then fastened together at about each end of the folded edge. Means are attached to the folded and fastened material for holding the folded material as a facial mask onto the head or face of the wearer.

Any suitable flexible, plastic sheet material may be employed, translucent or transparent. Suitable plastic sheet material can be obtained from vinyl film, polyethylene film, cellulose acetate film, nylon film and the like. Polyvinyl plastic film is preferred. The thickness of the film should be such that the film and the facial mask can be readily folded and is not rigid or stiff and such that when the facial mask is worn or attached to the head of the wearer it readily conforms to the facial contours.

Referring now to the drawings and to FIG. 1 in particular, there is illustrated a facial mask prepared in accordance with this invention. The illustrated facial mask indicated generally by reference numeral 16 is made up of a singly folded rectangular piece of transparent sheet material 11, such as polyvinyl chloride, e.g. Krene, a polyvinyl film sold by Union Carbide Corp. The dimensions of the rectangular plastic sheet material before folding are generally such that the long dimension or length is approximately twice the short dimension or width, such as a rectangular sheet material having the dimensions; width 44 /2" and length 8-9".

The singly folded plastic sheet material is then fastened together at about the ends 12a and 12b of folded edge 12. Preferably, the folded sheet material is fastened together close to ends 12a and 12b and not more than one half of the folded width dimension away from the folded edge 12. Any suitable means for fastening together the folded plastic sheet material may be employed, such as an adhesive material spotted or applied between the contacting folded surfaces and joining or cementing the contacting surface together. Another means for fastening the folded sheet material together, particularly suitable when the plastic material is thermoplastic, such as vinyl film or polyethylene film, is the application of heat to the folded material so as to fuse and to integrally join the contacting surfaces at the location where the heat is applied, so-called heat sealing. This embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, the folded plastic material being joined or fused together by heat sealing at location 13.

Another method of joining or fastening the folded sheet material together comprises mechanical means such as grommets 14, passing through the folded sheet material and pinching and joining the material together. Loop 15 of elastic or extensible cord or similar material, such as a rubber band, is then passed through the opening provided by grommet 14 and held therein. Loop 15 serves as a means for attaching or fastening the facial mask to the face or head of the wearer as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3. In the instance where the folded sheet material is heat sealed or, in effect, spot welded together, as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3 the loop 15 would be placed around the sealed'portion 13 in the manner illustrated therein.

If desired the folded sheet material 11 may be heat sealed or cemented together and a hole provided through the sealed portions and loop 15 passed therethrough in the manner illustrated in FIG. 1 of the drawings with respect to grommet 14.

FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate how the facial mask may be worn to protect the eyes of the wearer. With use creases 17 form on the facial mask. FIG. 1, these creases may be preformed during assembly or manufacture prior to actual use so as to provide a more ready fit to the face or head of the wearer.

As will be apparent to thoseskilled in the art in the light of the foregoing disclosure, many modifications, alterations and substitutions are possible in the practice of this invention without departing from the spirit or scope thereof.

I claim:

1. A flexible, foldable device adapted to be Worn as a facial mask consisting essentially of a sheet of transparent, flexible, plastic material, said sheet of plastic material If desired, as indicated in being singly folded in half in a single plane upon itself, the resulting folded sheet material being permanently fixed together at about the ends of the folded edge, and means attached to the folded sheet material at the locations where said folded sheet material is fixed together for holding the folded sheet material as a facial mask onto the head of a wearer. W

2. A device in accordance with claim 1 wherein. said folded sheet material is fixed together at about the ends of the folded edge by' means of grommets and wherein said means for holding the folded sheet material as a facial mask onto the'head of a wearer comprises extensible cord passing through said grommets and adapted for attachment to the ears of a wearer.

UNITED STATES PATENTS Sheldon Sept. 27, Corbett May 7, Stem Mar. 18, Rextrew Jan. 5, Van Antwerp Oct. 31, Quinn Jan. 6, Sievers Oct. 24, Tote et a1. Q July 22,

FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Jan. 11, 

1. A FLEXIBLE, FOLDABLE DEVICE ADAPTED TO BE WORN AS A FACIAL MASK CONSISTING ESSENTIAL OF A SHEET OF TRANSPARENT FLEXIBLE, PLASTIC MATERIAL, SAID SHEET OF PLASTIC MATERIAL BEING SINGLY FOLDED IN HALF IN A SINGLE PLANE UPON ITSELF, THE RESULTING FOLDED SHEET MATERIAL BEING PERMANENTLY FIXED TOGETHER AT ABOUT THE ENDS OF THE FOLDED EDGE, AND MEANS ATTACHED TO THE FOLDED SHEET MATERIAL AT THE LOCATIONS WHERE SAID FOLDED SHEET MATERIAL IS DIXED TOGETHER FOR HOLDING THE FOLDED SHEET MATERIAL AS A FACIAL MASK ONTO THE HEAD OF A WEARER. 